" Cleaning out the sleeps 8 pop-up camper, that is fully equipped with all the comforts of home! what fun!!

About 7 yrs of camping fun in that item!

I will miss it when it leaves, but also time to let go and..

someday should I/kids win the lotto, I want buy a Class C Coachman Freelander! "

" we did a garden a couple of years ago for the pets-between the 2 sheds-it to was just a weedy area. now it has mini-flags and stepping stones and lots of flowers.
My dad is buried in Ithaca where his family is-straight from Sicily. My daughter remembers him always giving her change-pennies--so when she finds one she says 'PAPA's saying Hi' and she saves them.
When we come to NY, she buries them atop his grave. Someday it will be treasure to someone, or just to our family who knows what she does on each visit!

My gram nearly went nuts over my moms cremation too! She said never ever do that to her! We didn't-she is buried next to my mom and grams hubby.

For me, my oldest son is responsible to have me arrive 15 minutes late, no matter how early I start, something occurs and I end up 15 minutes late.
I made it clear, I need not change a thing when I die, everyone is to be at the cemetery and exactly 15 minutes later the hearse should arrive with me..lol

I plan to purchase plots in Auburn, I hope to not burden my kids with financial woes in case of my death.
I have also labeled some costly jewelry--who gets what--so no fights arise and they know this was my moms or my grams. I have already showed them and asked them for aid in choices.
The older daughter wants hubby's flag, so we already purchased the case and loaded it with his medals and gave it to.
I am pretty open about death, hiding the facts of death from kids is not being a responsible parent, we all have to accept it will happen! "

" BTW, Farmer Guy stops by his father's grave a couple times a year, puts flowers on it on Memorial Day, keeps them watered and cleans them up at the end of the season, and takes his dad a beer periodically. To each his own as appropriate. "

" Different people deal with death in different ways. I know my mom would like to be cremated and if possible have her ashes scattered at the site of the Battle of Hastings (1066 ring a bell?) which is the area from which her family came originally. Farmer Guy has made arrangements to leave his body to science -- though that's because I told him the health authorities wouldn't let it just be chucked out in the woods to rot. My grandmother wants to be buried alongside my grandpa and would have a heart attack and die now if my mom predeceased her and were cremated.

When my beautiful Black kitty was hit and killed on the road a couple years ago, Farmer Guy let me bury him between a couple barns on the farm. I planted a lovely garden over him, and now our elderly rabbit is there too, and I planted some more garden. It's a really nice place now where formerly there were just weeds and everyone is well-served.

When my older son was 2 1/2 (and his brother only about 3 weeks old), our beloved dog died. We buried her and were concerned what the toddler would do if he knew her body were under the ground. Would it upset him? Would he try to dig her up? So we told him we had a special place "for remembering Duchess." Sometimes he would stop there for a minute in his play and I would ask, whatcha doin'? And he'd say, I am remembering Duchess and how she barked roo-roo-roo and how her tail spun round in a circle when she ran. He wasn't sad nor upset -- he accepted death as part of things but took time out once in a while to remember the good and happy things about our old dog.

My view is that is just as it should be. Whether the dead body is down there decomposing or not, if someone brought good into your life, take a moment to remember and appreciate once in a while. "

" karl: the way you speak of it is Morbid!
but I happen to love the cemetary being the first thing I see when I drive into town,
along with saying "Hi mom, hi gram, hi gramps, I'll be by to visit later after I unpack"
now I know their soul is not there for (wacky or not) my daughter has been seeing them since she was 2 here in my house!

I prefer open casket, I want to SEE them one last time. I do believe in celebrating their lives.
I attended a friends funeral a few months ago--who had a similar Holland funeral.
I loved seeing all the photos from birth to death, and special trinkets the person collected in life and the wonderful stories for family to tell us the story behind them.

I think its all in ones choosing as to how they want their funeral/burial to be.
Most elderly HATE to discuss it, but I think My generation is very open on the subject--maybe due to family rifts we have witnessed when our elders dont make wishes known--OR when they do, and a member doesn't abide by them! "

" Barber St. used to be nice,
The elders would meet at the bochee ball court and ALL would make sure the youngsters were behaving, or for sure tell your mama, worst yet dad!

I was a paper-girl, so I knew every family from West St-to Wall St and Washington to N.Divison, great summer job but froze toes off in the winter!
In those days everyone recieved the Citizen paper!

the old owner who passed away, Dominic at Balloons and his Bro John were the nicest people.
they had a couple of apple trees in the yard in back of the restaurant which they made home-made pies when in season, and always let the kids pick some too!
I havent been there since they died.

Quiver: you were at Casey from 75-80? Man I graduated in '79. making me feel old! lol.... "

" cm: "I can't imagine leaving my loved one in a drawer or jar at the morgue for many months/years !"
WHY NOT?
Do you realize how much unnecessary space and land we gobble up burying chemical-laden corpses in big lacquer-coated boxes, poisoning the land, the water table, the food chain?
In fact, all this talk of cancer rates in Auburn--who was the IDIOT who put a big cemetery on a HILL near the Lake, where the decaying bodies and caskets can leach chemicals right down into our drinking water? SHEESH!
If people would just realize that burials in the old fashioned way has to STOP, we would be doing a HUGE service and benefit to ourselves.
A dead body is just a dead body. Visiting a grave is just walking around a bunch pf stones. The essence that was the person is long gone. Remember people for what they WERE, for the legacy they left. Too many people wallow in Death and sorrow; celebrate a person's LIFE! Thats the way they would have wanted it!
The most beautiful memorial service I was ever to was in Holland--me and my old girlfriend's first real date, LOL! There was no "wake" per se. NO "viewing" or displaying of the body. There was not even a closed casket; only a group of photos around and on top of a box containing the ashes and on a dais with some favorite personal items chosen by the deceased as a representation.
Everyone assembled in a small chapel, and three songs--picked beforehand by the dead grandma--were played. Her "personal" goodbye to the assemblage. Then there was a period where family members and friends could step up to a podium and eulogize the woman--anecdotes, regrets, well-wishes were all voiced. There was laughter and tears. Then the service was called over and a luncheon served at a different location.
The body had already been cremated. It was much, MUCH more tolerable and "positive" than the sad, aswful spectacles we submit ourselves to here in the States--the misery of the "viewing"; the long, mournful, oh-so-final loading-of-the-casket; the slow, dreadful drive to the cemetery; the painful entrance into the Church, the service with the casket there and the dreadfully morbid exercise of trying to receive Communion around the casket, followed by the final dreadful trip to the (HORRORS!) open grave, accompanied by a crescendo of wails and tears. You're lucky if someone DOESN'T faint or collapse out of grief. It's absolutely sadistic and M-O-R-B-I-D! What an exercise in self-torture!
The whole idea needs to be redone! "

" nature -- please tell us the puppy mad eit alive? Have an extra one for me!

Travelog for the day: The buildings here are all painted in a different color scheme, as if they had an interior designer for the exteriors of the entire area -- all in sunwashed pinks, pale yellows, rosy beiges, soft greys, etc. But it's still just a city, with ugly, tack garish signs and advertisements and chock-a-block businesses. Gas is around $4.23 a gallon. It's in the low-to-mid 70s, which I consider absolutely perfect weather, a touch cloudy, but nice. Food at the hotel is expensive, but haven't checked it out elsewhere yet.

Time for our first lecture.... "

" Saw the news on the earthquake on board -- there's a little TV screen on the back of every seat. I spent the first leg not being able to figure out how to turn it off or change the channel. I confess, I am pretty TV illiterate. But I got it eventually, and could check the weather channel, the news and watch an old college football game from this past season as well as being able to turn it off and read my book or chat with the person beside me.

I also was on board when I saw the plane with the blow tire make an emergency landing at JFK, through which I had been just a couple hours earlier -- watched it live and nice job by the pilot.

Next I'll hear all about how our integrated library system's company is doing and what they have in store for us this coming year.

A friend of the family lives on Barber St, so I have been out that way a few times. Scruffy neighborhood, to be sure, yet Balloons is right there and quite a nice restaurant. Hard for me to judge how good or bad things are, as I just plain don't like cities. "

" karl, my screen name comes from a band name I had when I was in High school. We played true metal, courtesy of the inspiration of YOUR bass player. YEP, TRUE METAL. We covered Battle Hymn instrumentally. So, if you think my screen name is of perversion, maybe you are right, but it was conceived from TRUE METAL! I have been a fan of your band long before you knew it existed. I only bring your profession into conversation to explain and give history to my screen name. I normally capitalize people's names, but you are an exception to that rule.


CM, I was there from '75-'80. It used to be a really clean school. East Middle was dumpy, and AHS was a constant party, but I made it with Honors. "

" the majority says: the economy is BAD right now with all the foreclosures, gas & food prices higher, businesses folding/bankruptcy, and lower pay.

the numbers show: low unemployment, some business groups prospering, and the new higher minimum wage was added.

The Sum up: some are doing good, some are hanging on for dear life, and some are doing bad,

However: IT cant be all too great if the "claiming of dead bodies" has doubled due to costs of 600 for cremation and 1200 for full-body burials.
I can't imagine leaving my loved one in a drawer or jar at the morgue for many months/years !

Eventually, again it will be tax payers burden for "more space/morgues" or paying for permanent burials.

just have your wallet/checkbook/visa card ready... "

" HEY FARMER'S GAL!!!! Stay safe!!
(How come we don't have waving Smileys for our messages here?!) "

" anonymous; geez; I'm blushing.
Thank you--I didn't realize you were such a fan! "

" quiveringsniveler, do you realize that if your name was "quivering Tribble", you might have made it on Star Trek?!
Anyhoo--your onscreen name is by far the most obscene and revolting I have ever some across. It smacks of "Chester the Molester"-ism; and it's annoyingly long to type.
I might just type "Q-Tip" in the future? "

" Hi FG: any tremors?
enjoy your trip! "

" Big Sister is watching! LOL! Got my laptop to work here in the Westin Long Beach. Can't say it's exactly comfortable typing, but it works. Made it without a hitch. Going to register now, but wanted to say hello from California. "

" many moons ago there was 2 taxi companies, and they still an hour to come!!

with the exception, if I called!
one place was a "bookie joint" where my grandpa took me alot, I was the princess there, the owner would let me dispatch just because I thought the MIC was so cool.

It was similar to 'take your daughter to work'...at the cabbie office, I learned how to pick horses!! lol.. "

" I didn't think downtown was unsafe during the day-time hours.
When I was there last year, it was mostly a hassle due to construction going on.

However, we drove in about 3 am-and there were kids in black hanging at the fountain area near John Stevens, at which I commented "Do you know where your children are"
(jesting the commercial)
Then I wondered where APD was?

But that is now eliminated since they returned that area to a 'drive thru'

I guess that was an easy fix to remove the hangout rather than make parents and kids responsible.
So where is the new hang-out??? "

" Karl is the self-important site scholar. Just ask him how smart he is. Did you not know that his writings are deserving of the Pulitzer. "

" quiver, I went to Casey Park, 3rd-5th! My oldest son went there too!

I wonder how FG is doing in CA? Can you imagine her face when she heard of the earthquake-probably on a lay-over?
In the 8yrs I lived in CA, we had two quakes, the rolling kind is a very weird feeling!

Karl: just because moms (FG) away doesnt mean to have to be a bad boy! behave! "

" karl, do you get off on insulting people's screen names?? Maybe change yours to Richard Cranium, that way everyone will know what kind of person you are. I can't believe you are, how old? And still resorting to name calling. I got rid of that phase when I left Casey Park elementary. And you call me immature? Get a clue. "

" Greenville, OH
$3.69/gal gas;
Free on-street parking in downtown;
Free parking in visitor hospital parking lot.
So glad to be finally out of New York State! "

" Karl- Thank you for proving my point. Next... "

" Anybody look up in the sky in the last half hour and see something a little unusual??? "

" Hazeleys, your charges are without warrant and unsupported by facts. I blithely dismiss them out of hand.
Please change your name to "WeepyTearStainedCrybabyEyes"
Next? "

" Add in what aspect? That you try to make this forum about you? That you rant and rave about things as you see it and then put those with different opinions down? Nope. Nothing to add. "

" karl wrote, " WOW!!!!
A "two Cents" day without mention of Racism, Communism, Liberals, Conservatives, Kufs, McCain, War, Bush, or Obama, (GO OBAMA!!) Sick puppy! "

" HazelEyes, do you have something to add?
GOBAMA!!!! "

" longboard, this IS an OPINION column. "

" Yeah Karl- there was no mention of Racism, Communism, Liberals, Conservatives, Kufs, McCain, War, Bush, or Obama until you had to put your 'two cents' in. As always... WAY TO GO. "

" blah, blah, blah....this 2 cents column is worthless... "

" Citizen.

I put this in about a week ago but it was only inline about 30 minutes before the column was purged. Could you PLEASE run this again as I feel it is important and would like a longer audience?


To be in 2 cents


Some information way back in 2003 from the citizen:
Quote:
”In 2003, police were called to Barber Street 129 times, 162 times to nearby West Street, and 492 times to Orchard Street, according to city police statistics”
I am sure it’s much more now. Police are to busy going to those street instead of people who really need them. In a timely manner. Perhaps we could start charging more taxes to those people in that area? After all they are using it more. If the taxes/assessments were higher they would move. It’s not the single homes that are a problem it’s the rentals and slumlords, these are facts. "

" Before you pave South Street, PLEASE pave York Street! It's like a motocross track (grreat if I could ride my dirt bike on the streets.. but not so good for my truck!) "

" WOW!!!!
A "two Cents" day without mention of Racism, Communism, Liberals, Conservatives, Kufs, McCain, War, Bush, or Obama, (GO OBAMA!!)
WAHOOOOO!!!
I'm going out to Tom Thumb's to treat myself to a frozen yogurt!!! "